Manufacture of leather articles



(No Model.)

R. PORTER.

MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER ARTICLES.

No. 319,617. Patented June 9, 1885.

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Warren STATES Parana Urrrca ROBERT PORTER, OF OTTUMWA, IOWA.

MANUFACTURE OF LEATHER ARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,617. dated June 9, 1865.

Application filed April 18, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT PORTER, of Ottumwa, in the county of Wapello and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Leather Articles, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

The present invention has reference to the manufacture of horse-collars, saddles, traces, and the like articles of leather, and has for its object to improve the durability, strength, and appearance of such articles.

It consists in forming the seams of such articles with strips or ribbons of flexible metal, instead of thread and other material heretofore employed for the purpose. I have found that the seams thus formed are not so liable to pull out as those sewed with thread,while the metal ribbons are not liable to be cut or broken, as is commonly the case with thread when employed to sew leather articles. The metal strips are preferably in the form of thin flat ribbons, which are for several reasons better for the purpose than ordinary wire. The fiat ribbons do not project above the surface of the leather, and therefore are not so much exposed to wear. For the same reason the seam does not chafe and annoy the animal when it comes in contact with his skin. The fiat strips, moreover, are not so liable as ordinary wire to be strained in bending in and out to form the seam, and are much more ornamental. The strips need not of course be perfectly flat, as I would regard the use of oval strips, though not so advantageous, as being within the scope of the invention; or the strip may be semicircular in cross-section that is, flat on one side-the leather being channeled to receive the curved side.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view of part of a trace having metal seams; Fig 2, a longitudinal section of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation of part of a horse-collar embodying the invention; and Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 detail views of different forms of sewing collars.

In carrying out the invention the two pieces of leather a b to be united are put face to face, holes of the proper width are punched therein with a suitable tool, and the metal ribbon c is drawn through one hole and back through the next in the ordinary manner of forming a straight-ahead seam. The ribbon c is a fiat strip of flexible metal. I have found that brass ribbons answer well, being strong, pliable, and very ornamental, especially upon black leather.

The seam produced is strong and very durable. Its ornamental effect may be varied according to taste by selection of appropriate metals or by combining two or more metals of different hues. These seams may be made for ornamental purposes only where the article consists of but a single thickness of leather. Thus the seam c, Fig. 1, is not necessary for uniting the two parts of the trace, and the metal ribbon may'pass through the top or outside piece alone.

In the horse-collar shown in Fig. 3 the back and face are united by a metal seam, 0, called the shaping seam, since it gives shape to the bellies d, and the flange ebeyond this scam is secured by an additional seam, a, both for greater strength, and also for ornament.

In Figs. 4 and 5 (the latter being a cross-section of the former) is illustrated what is called in the trade the Concord collar. The seam c is visible only on one side. It is formed by folding over the edge of piece a and uniting it to piece I) by an ordinary straight ahead seam. Then the opposite edges, 6, of the pieces are brought together and united, the seam is hid on one side by the fold of part a.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate another form of inside seam, which unites three pieces, a, b, and f. The latter is a narrow strip, which forms a single flange. The piece a is folded over, the edges of pieces I) and f are brought together, as shown, and are united, by an overseam, the sewing being done from the inside before the edges 0 are brought together.

It will be understood that the foregoing description and the illustration referred to are given merely by Way of example of the manner in which the invention may be carried into effect. Moreover, the invention is obviously not confined to the articles specified, but may obviously be used in connection with other leather articles where it is desired to secure strength and durability or ornamentation, or both.

Having thus fully described my invention, In testimony whereof I have signed this what I claim isspecification in the presence of two subscrib- 1. Ahorse-collar or other article of leather ing witnesses.

having one or more rows of stitches formed 5 of an approximate1yflat continuous metal ROBERT PORTER.

strip, substantially as described. I

2. A horse-collar or similar articlehaving Witnesses:

the front and back unitedby a seam consist- GEO. A. WITTER,

ing of successive stitches formed by metal strip HENRY GLENN.

10 or ribbon, substantially as described. 

